Agar Bloody Mary Gel Recipe

One of the fun things about modernist cooking is changing the textures of common dishes while keeping the flavors the same. This creates almost a confusion in the palate when it's being eaten and the brain recognizes the flavors but not the textures. This recipe creates a solid Bloody Mary gel with agar agar that has applications in various dishes.

Agar Bloody mary log close

I made a custom Bloody Mary mix using fresh tomatoes from the garden blended with some string beans, cayenne chile powder, ancho chile powder, and lemon juice. This also works great as a quick chilled tomato soup. You can also use your favorite store-bought Bloody Mary mix if you don't want to make your own version.

You then combine the Bloody Mary mix with the vodka in a pot and add the agar agar. I used 1% agar agar by weight (weigh the vodka and Bloody Mary mix, then multiply it by 0.01 to get the weight of the agar agar you should use) since I was looking for a good, solid gel. You whisk the ingredients together and bring them to a boil while whisking occasionally. Let them simmer for a few minutes to fully hydrate the agar agar and then the mixture is ready to use.

The mixture sets very quickly as it cools, starting around 113°F (45°C) and will be fully gelled in a matter of minutes. Because of this, you should have all your molds out and ready to go. Keeping the mixture on a burner over medium heat is critical if you don't use all of it right away.

Agar Bloody Mary Gel Applications

There are several applications for this Bloody Mary gel. We used it for "Bloody Marys on a Log", a play on the favorite kids' snack "ants on a log". You can also let it set in a rectangular container and cut cubes or strips out of it. You could even just pour it into small, plastic shot glasses and use it for vegan Bloody Mary jello shots.

There are also many variations of the Bloody Mary gel. You can strain the mixture before adding the agar agar for a much smoother liquid and a gel with no particles in it. You can also add the vodka after bringing the Bloody Mary mix and agar agar to a boil, this could keep slightly more of the alcohol in the mixture. You can also add fresh chiles or other different flavors to the Bloody Mary mix to tailor it to the final application you are aiming for.

For more examples of agar gels and applications of gels in fantastic dishes you can read the excellent Alinea cookbook.

Modernist Tools, Ingredients, and Techniques Used

If you would like more information about the modernist techniques, ingredients, and equipment used in the agar Bloody Mary gel recipe you can check out the following.

Also, if you are just getting started experimenting with molecular gastronomy and modernist cuisine then I highly recommend one of these molecular gastronomy kits. They have everything you need to do many different dishes.

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Agar Bloody Mary Gel Recipe

  • Published: August 7, 2012
  • By Jason Logsdon
  • Prep Time: 5 Minutes
  • Total Time: 15 Minutes
  • Makes: 600 grams of Bloody Mary gel
Agar bloody mary gels

Agar Bloody Mary Gel Ingredients

Because they use modernist ingredients, these amounts for this component are given in metric by weight. Learn more about how to measure modernist ingredients in this article.

525g Bloody Mary mix (18.5 ounces)
125g vodka (4.4 ounces), more or less to taste, adjusting the agar agar to be 1% of total liquid weight
6.5g agar agar (0.23 ounces)

Agar Bloody Mary Gel Instructions

Combine the Bloody Mary mix, the vodka, and the agar agar in a pot and whisk together. Bring to a boil while whisking occassionally. Let simmer for 2 to 3 minutes to ensure the agar agar is fully hydrated.

Pour the hot Bloody Mary agar agar liquid into molds and allow to set at room temperature. Reserve, covered, on the counter for a few hours or in the refrigerator for up to 36 hours.
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All tags for this article: Agar Agar, Agar Gel, Agar Gel Cube Recipes, Agar Gel Recipes, Alcohol, Cocktails, Gelification, Gelling, Gels, Party Foods, Recipe


Jason logsdon headshot This article is by me, Jason Logsdon. I'm an adventurous home cook and professional blogger who loves to try new things, especially when it comes to cooking. I've explored everything from sous vide and whipping siphons to pressure cookers and blow torches; created foams, gels and spheres; made barrel aged cocktails and brewed beer. I have also written 10 cookbooks on modernist cooking and sous vide and I run the AmazingFoodMadeEasy.com website.
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